In the places where small animals are kept in captivity, and more particularly in veterinary clinics, latticed cages are usually used for these small animals. The cage door or gate must be sturdy while allowing free air circulation therethrough. This door is usually locked with a door lock. When an animal caretaker must carry an animal into such a cage, he must be able to operate the gate almost at the same time as the handling of the animal to be caged, since the latter may becomes restless and thus render the work of the animal caretaker difficult, and even in some instances dangerous. The same problem is apparent when the animal is to be pulled out from the cage: the caretaker often requires both hands to control the animal. Thus, it would be desirable that the gate lock be operatable by means other than the caretaker hands, so as to free them for the restraint of the animal to be caged.